Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher


Like Tree4Likes
  • 2 Post By bhaisahab
  • 1 Post By bhaisahab
  • 1 Post By Excalibur

Closed Thread
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-Nov-2009, 13:52
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 222
Home Country: Russian Federation
Native Language: Russian
Current Location: Russian Federation
Member Type: Student or Learner
Default for or/and to

Hello!

Would you like to com to dinner on Friday?

Can I use a preposition for instead of to?

Thanks a lot in advance!
  #2  
Old 06-Nov-2009, 15:35
bhaisahab's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 14,826
Home Country: England
Native Language: British English
Current Location: England
Member Type: English Teacher
Default Re: for or/and to

Quote:
Originally Posted by greegorush View Post
Hello!

Would you like to com to dinner on Friday?

Can I use a preposition for instead of to?

Thanks a lot in advance!
Yes you can.
  #3  
Old 06-Nov-2009, 20:02
Member
Threadstarter  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 222
Home Country: Russian Federation
Native Language: Russian
Current Location: Russian Federation
Member Type: Student or Learner
Default Re: for or/and to

Thanks a lot, bhaisahab!

Am I right that after for comes a noun and after to - a verb in this case?
  #4  
Old 07-Nov-2009, 08:21
bhaisahab's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 14,826
Home Country: England
Native Language: British English
Current Location: England
Member Type: English Teacher
Default Re: for or/and to

Quote:
Originally Posted by greegorush View Post
Thanks a lot, bhaisahab!

Am I right that after for comes a noun and after to - a verb in this case?
No, "dinner" is a noun in both cases. "If you said "would you like to come to dine...?" "To dine" is a verb.
  #5  
Old 07-Nov-2009, 09:13
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 191
Member Type: Academic
Default Re: for or/and to

geegorush: do you understand the difference between "come for dinner" and "come to dinner"?
  #6  
Old 07-Nov-2009, 12:47
Member
Threadstarter  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 222
Home Country: Russian Federation
Native Language: Russian
Current Location: Russian Federation
Member Type: Student or Learner
Default Re: for or/and to

Quote:
Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
geegorush: do you understand the difference between "come for dinner" and "come to dinner"?
No, to be honest.

I passed a topic about for and to
It is explained in this way:

for + noun
to + verb (infinitive)

But to is a preposition in this example. I'd be glad if you explain the difference.
  #7  
Old 08-Nov-2009, 10:07
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 191
Member Type: Academic
Default Re: for or/and to

Suggesting that someone 'come for dinner' is informal, and implies that, whatever you're cooking for tea, you'll make double; or if a family situation, an extra table setting will be provided, and you just join the family for dinner.
"Look - after work, why not come round for dinner and we can go on to the stag party from there?"

Inviting someone to dinner is more formal. It suggests that the person is to be a special guest, and that the food served will be more special than what one might normally have for an evening meal; probably with wine and a special desert.

John starts a new job, and John's wife suggests that he invite his new boss and his wife to dinner. John and his wife will obviously try to impress, (as opposed to 'taking pot luck'=sharing in whatever has been cooked for the evening meal that night.)
Closed Thread

Bookmarks


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT. The time now is 06:50.



Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.